Xcel honors employee with service award

Xcel Energy honored an employee on Wednesday for assisting during the February wildfires.

Randy Deckard, who lives in Lake Tanglewood, evacuated his family from threatening wildfires on Feb. 27, company officials said. He had received word that his home was destroyed in the fire and continued to lead firefighters to other endangered homes.

Deckard also disconnected electric services to protect the firefighters from further dangers.

Riley Hill — president and CEO of Southwestern Public Services, an Xcel subsidiary — gave Deckard a community service award for his assistance.

“We expect our employees to be good neighbors, but Randy’s actions during the February fires are beyond what we would ask of an employee who, at the time, believed he had lost all his possessions in the fire,” Hill said in a press release.